CHRIS NICOLS

While in my undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Health Science at Oakland University, I was able to work with the athletic training team as an intern. Getting to work with college level athletes was an eye-opening experience and has inspired me a lot as a trainer.

How did you get involved at Art of Strength West Bloomfield?

I was going into the summer of my senior year at Oakland University and was looking for an internship to complete my Practicum requirement. A good friend of mine, David Grauzer, told me to get in touch with a former opponent of his named Mike Knight. I did some research, and gave Mike a call to set up a meeting. After a day of observing classes and one day of training, I was immediately hooked on the program and the community Mike has created here at Art of Strength. Needless to say, I took the internship and look forward to making a career out of this opportunity.

What is your favorite part about being a personal trainer?

Working with the Art of Strength team and doing things that I have never seen in the training community before is one of my favorite parts of being a trainer. Every day I am learning new things by working with Mike, Oliver, Jessica, and Nicole. We bring people of all ages together and turn our gym into a fitness and nutrition community. We focus on motivation and understanding the importance of taking care of yourself outside of the gym. If someone is not taking care of themselves outside of the gym, it is tough for them to keep up inside of the gym. We get to know clients as individuals and introduce them to the community, which helps with motivation and encouragement. Our gym is not about us; our gym is about the people. Another one of my favorite parts is the opportunity to work with our youth. People do not understand that it is just as important for kids to take care of themselves as it is for adults. All the trainers enjoy working with kids. We are helping these kids with strength, nutrition, and life skills that they are able to transfer outside the gym walls.

What pushes you to push your clients to success?

Watching Mike and Oliver work with their clients and form the bonds they have pushes me to be the best trainer that I can be. I hope to create the same bond with my clients, as they trust me to help them in achieving their goals. Working with this team has showed me the value in the relationships you have with your clients when it comes to reaching success. The kids’ camp at Art of Strength is also a huge influence on my passion to help my clients. In my youth, I never really knew or understood the importance of proper technique in the gym, and proper nutrition outside of the gym. I injured myself playing sports and never took the proper steps towards recovery. Since I have been at Art of Strength, my knowledge has increased and I want to use this knowledge along with my experiences to help my clients achieve their success.

What would you consider your specialty at Art of Strength?

I believe my specialty is in the vintage series. When I came in as an intern, Mike told me to learn, know, and understand the vintage series like the back of my hand. In short, it is the introduction to the movements needed to use a kettlebell and an integral part to ensuring our clients are getting the most out of their workout while remaining safe. Over the past year, I have been teaching the vintage series to our new clients and have enjoyed watching their development as they master movements such as the vintage swing. Once these developments are made and clients are able to use the kettlebells, we see progression in their physical ability and their confidence.

What is one of your greatest training accomplishments?

I had a young client who was unable to finish workouts and could barely eat. As we worked together to recognize her strengths and weaknesses, she began showing progression in both her workouts and nutrition. Encouraging, motivating clients, and helping them succeed would definitely be my greatest accomplishment.